FR2532741A1 - GAS-ACTIVATED FIREARMS WITH AN AUTOMATIC PRESSURE REGULATOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A GUN EQUIPPED WITH A GAS CONTROL MECHANISM 12 WHICH INCLUDES A PISTON 30 MOUNTED AXIALLY MOBILE ON THE CANNON 16 AND A REGULATING PLUNGER 46 PROVIDED INSIDE THE PISTON SO AS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE IN RELATION TO THE TIMES AT THE BARREL AND THE PISTON AND SOLICITED BY A SPRING 52 TOWARDS THE PISTON. THE EXPLOSION GAS ENTERED INTO CHAMBER 34 FORMED BETWEEN THE PISTON AND THE PLUNGER BY HOLES 56 OF THE BARREL TO MOVE THE PISTON AND THEREFORE ACTIVATING THE EXTRACTION, EJECTION AND ARMING MECHANISM. THE PLUNGER MOVES AWAY FROM THE PISTON WHEN A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE IS REACHED IN THE CHAMBER TO INCREASE THE VOLUME OF THE LATTER AND THUS REDUCE THE PRESSURE. IF THE PRESSURE BECOMES TOO HIGH, THE DIVER MAY MOVE TO A POSITION IN WHICH GASES ARE EVACUATED TO THE ATMOSPHERE.

Description

The present invention relates generally

  gas-powered firearms and relates more specifically to a gas control mechanism for

  More specifically, the invention relates to a firearm

  improved gas control mechanism of an annular type which is carried coaxially on a part of the barrel of the weapon

  fire so as to move in an axial direction from the

  not in response to the pressure generated by the explosion gases

  Such a gas control mechanism has been described and shown

  presented in U.S. Patent No. 3,988,964 entitled "Gas

  operated firearm with metering adjustment "<Action Firearm-

  born by gases fitted with a dosage adjustment) issued on 2 no-

  vember 1976 in the name of the inventor and it has a piston of

  general cylindrical shape which is slidably mounted on the

  not of a firearm and which partially delimits an annular gas chamber which surrounds an associated part of the barrel La

  gas chamber is also delimited by a regulator

  manually adjustable that can be positioned along the

  no to measure the explosion gas explosion out of the core in the gas chamber A wide variety of ammunition of a specific caliber is available for a firearm of the general type described above However, the differences regarding the weight of the bale, the type of powder

  and the quantity of powder used influence the characteristics

  gun operating ticks Other variables that affect the stability of ammunition, such as

  weather conditions also influence the character

  teristics of a weapon but they are some-

  that little more difficult to predict Although a mechanism of

  manually adjusted throttle control of the general type described above

  above can be set to compensate for such variables,

  the risk of human error is always present The omis-

  gas regulator setting or judge error

  carried out during an adjustment can have detrimental effects

  sables on the firing characteristic of a weapon in production

  excessive backing up with a resulting loss of precision.

  Consequently, the general object of the present invention is to provide a gas control mechanism for a firearm which includes an automatic pressure regulator, which compensates for the variations in pressure generated by the gases.

  explosion when firing a weapon and evacuates the explosion gases

  gas control mechanism when pressure ex-

cessive is produced there.

  According to the present invention, a gas actuated firearm which includes an improved gas control mechanism comprises an axially elongated barrel provided with a core which opens at its front end, means delimiting an annular gas chamber surrounding a associated part of the barrel and comprising a guide member mounted on the barrel, a first reaction member carried so as to be able to effect an axial reciprocating movement on and with respect to the barrel and having a first reaction surface which delimits a part of the gas chamber, and means forming a gas orifice which communicate with the core and with the gas chamber. The improved gas control mechanism comprises a second reaction member carried so as to be able to carry out a movement of axial back and forth

  with respect to both the rod and the first reaction organ

  tion and having a second reaction surface which delimits

  also the gas chamber, means for requesting the se-

  cond reaction organ towards the first reaction organ

  action and towards an inactive position, and means forming a vent arranged to be able to communicate with the chamber and with

  the atmosphere in order to evacuate the explosion gases from the chamber.

  The means forming a vent are normally out of communication.

  tion with the chamber The second reaction member is movable in opposition to the action of the biasing means and in

  an axial direction away from the first reaction member

  tion and out of its inactive position to another posi-

  tion in response to the gas pressure prevailing in the chamber.

  The second reaction organ is moreover capable of

  move in said axial direction away from the first

  mier reaction member and its other position to an evacuation position in response to the gas pressure prevailing in the chamber The evacuation means are not

  communication with the room and with the atmosphere that when

  that the second reaction member is in its evacuated position

  cuation. Other characteristics of the invention will appear

  on reading the description which follows and on examining

of the attached drawing in which:

  Fig 1 is a side elevational view of a pistol

  let gas operated implementing this invention

  tion; FIG. 2 is a partial view in lateral elevation,

  with partial longitudinal axial section and on a small scale

  slightly larger of the pistol shown in Fig 1; Fig 3 is a sectional view, taken along line 3-3 of Fig 2; Fig 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of Fig 2; and la-Fig 5 is a sectional view, taken along the line -5 of Fig 2. There is shown in the drawing and will be described below a gas control mechanism implementing the present

  invention with reference to its application to a pistol

  operated by charger gases designated by the general reference

  rale 10 in Fig 1 The pistol 10-is of the type shown

  in the aforementioned US Patent No. 3,988,964 which is to be con-

  flabbergasted as incorporated into this description by the reference

  rence which is made here The present gas control mechanism, designated by the reference 12, is particularly

  well suited to such firearms since it does not

  only a relatively small number of parts which are arranged in a relatively compact form, However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular form of firearm described and shown but that it can be used with other type firearms

  powered by gases or which can be modified to function

  operate using gases The gun shown 10 includes

  a carcass 14, a barrel 16, a movable breech 18, a mechanism

  253274 1 t percussion mechanism which includes a dog 20, a mechanism for

  trigger designated by the general reference 22 and which comprises

  carries a trigger 24 and a cylinder head retainer 26 A char-

  geur-contained in a magazine formed in the butt portion of the carcass is retained in the magazine by a latch 28 of

charger release.

  The movable yoke 18 is shown in its front position out of which it can be moved backwards

  either manually or in response to the operation of the

  nism 12 of gas control, as will be described more fully-

  below When the movable bolt moves backwards

  When firing a cartridge, the breech mechanism (not shown) unlocks and moves backwards,

  cocking the dog 20 and extracting a worn cartridge case.

  When the movable breech 18 is in its front position and the dog is in its low position, as shown in Fig 1, the dog can be moved to an armed position by means of pressure applied by the thumb on its lug

  to then fire a shot with a simple action.

  You can also fire with the pistol 10 shown in

  double action by simply pressing the

  tent 24 when the dog 20 is in its low position.

  In accordance with the present invention, the gas control mechanism 12 comprises a first reaction member or piston 30 displaced by the explosion gases generated during the firing of a cartridge to move the movable breech 18 and thereby actuate a bolt mechanism (not shown) which includes a striker and an extractor The gas control mechanism automatically compensates for the differences in weight between the bales, the differences between the loads of

  powder and other variables that influence the characteristics

  gun operating ticks and it includes a re-

  pressure regulator or plunger assembly, designated by the general reference 32 The plunger assembly cooperates with the piston 30 to delimit an annular gas chamber 34 which

  surrounds an associated part of barrel 16 of the pistol

  plunger seems 32 moves relative to the piston 30 to increase the volume of the gas chamber and thereby reduce the gas pressure prevailing in the gas chamber

  when the pressure in this chamber exceeds a predefined limit

  completed If necessary, the plunger assembly 32 can be

  place up to a position in which the explosion gases

  trapped in the gas chamber 34 are evacuated to the atmos-

  sphere, all this as will be described more fully below

after.

  We will now describe the pistol in more detail.

  cut and, in particular, the construction and arrangement of the gas control mechanism 12 The barrel 16 has a generally cylindrical shape and comprises a conventional striped core 35, and it is fixed to a receiver designated by the reference 17 on

  Fig 2 and from which it extends forward, the re-

  receiver carrying the movable yoke 18 so that it can perform a sliding movement back and forth towards

  forward and backward relative to the carcass 14 of the pis-

  tolet The receiver has a stop or stop surface

  39 facing forward As seen in Fig 2 at-

  which will be referred to, the piston 30 is carried by the barrel 16 so as to be able to effect an axial sliding movement on the latter and it comprises a bottom part 36 which

  is located adjacent to the front end of the cylinder head

  bile 18 when the movable yoke is in its front position as shown in Fig 1 and as shown in solid lines in Fig 20 A reaction surface 38, arranged radially and oriented axially forward formed on the

  bottom part 36 delimits part of the gas chamber 34.

  The piston 30 further comprises a skirt portion 40 of generally cylindrical shape which extends forward from

  of the bottom portion 36 in a radially spaced arrangement

  created in relation to canon 16 and which also delimits a par-

  tie of the gas chamber 34 A guide member or annular collar 42 screwed onto the barrel at the front of the piston 30 limits the forward stroke of the piston and it comprises a series of fingers 44, 44 made of material which are angularly spaced

  and which extend axially backwards, these fingers

  protruding a certain distance inside the skirt portion 40 The fingers 44, 44 form bearing surfaces to stabilize the axial movement of the piston 30 on

and relative to cannon 16.

  The plunger assembly 32 includes a second reaction member or plunger disc 46 of generally cylindrical shape

  slidingly received inside the skirt part 40, is

  essentially as shown in Fig 2 The plon-

  geur comprises a reaction surface 47 arranged radially and oriented axially towards the rear and a series of notches 48, 48 annularly spaced and open radially towards

  outside receiving fingers 44 44, count more

  particularly shown in Figs 4 and 5 An an-

  ring 50 which is fixed to the barrel 16 or can be formed in a single piece with it limits the rearward travel of the plunger disc 46, as more particularly shown in FIG 2 A spring 52 which is part of the plunger assembly 32 surrounds the barrel inside the fingers 44.44

  and acts between the collar 42 and the plunger disc 46 for soil

  licit the plunger disc towards its position in abutment against the

annular collar 50.

  At least one gas orifice 56 formed in the barrel 16 as-

  on the communication between the core and the gas chamber 34 but preferably, and as shown, several orifices 56, 56

  gas extending radially and evenly spaced angularly

  rement are formed in canon 16, as more particular-

  ment represented in FIG. 3 The gas orifices 56, 56

  provide with the gas chamber 34 at the rear of the an-

  ring 50, as shown in Fig 2.

  At least one orifice 58 forming a vent extends through

  one of the fingers 44, 44 with which it is associated but, preferably

  rence, and as more particularly shown in FIG. each finger 44 is provided with an orifice 58 forming a corresponding vent which communicates with the gas chamber 34 at the front of the plunger disc 46 when the latter disc is biased in its position adjacent to the annular collar 50 It should be noted that the biasing force exerted on the plunger disc 46 by the spring 52 is slightly greater than the force exerted on the movable cylinder head 18 by its spring mechanism and which normally biases the movable cylinder head

towards its front position.

  When a cartridge is fired with the pistol 10, the explosion gases generated by the burning powder project the projectile into the barrel When the projectile passes through the gas orifices 56, 56, the explosion gases escape

  through these latter orifices in the gas chamber 34 and act

  feels on the reaction surface-38 to drive the piston

  backward The piston has a short stroke or a displacement

  cement limited, its rearward travel being limited by its

  coming into abutment against the abutment surface 39 of the receiver Ce-

  during, the rearward displacement of the piston communicates a sufficient inertial force to the movable cylinder head 18 so that the latter continues its stroke towards the rear after

  the rearward movement of the piston has been stopped,

  thus providing, a sufficient inertial force aumeanism of control which is associated with it to drive the mechanism on

  its entire firing cycle so as to fire and then

  milking and ejecting the cartridge from the weapon When the movable breech reaches the limit of its stroke, it is driven forward in its loading and locking cycle by a conventional spring biasing mechanism (not shown),

  During its forward stroke the movable yoke comes in ap-

  then against the piston 30 and brings it back to its position before adja-

  cente to the annular collar 42, in preparation for the next shot.

  When the piston 30 moves backwards while

  In response to explosion gases, the gas pressure prevailing in the gas chamber 34 also acts on the reaction surface 47.

  rearward facing to move the regular plunger disc

  lator 46 axially forwards The regulating plunger disc

  tor and its associated spring 52 provide a damping effect

  in the gas chamber when the plunger disc 46

  moves axially forward from its inactive position

  tive or position shown in solid lines in Fig 2 to another position such as the position shown

  in dashed lines and designated by the reference 46 a to prevent

  expensive exerting excessive pressure on the piston when

  that the piston drives the movable breech mechanism in its firing cycle If excessive pressure is generated in the gas chamber, the plunger disc 46 is driven to a forward or discharge position beyond the orifices

  fices 58, 58 forming a vent, the evacuation position of the -

  disc being shown in dashed lines and designated by the reference 46 b When the plunger disc 46 moving forward moves beyond the orifices 58, 58 forming a vent, the front edge of the skirt 40 of the piston moving rearward also moves to a position in which it is located behind the vent holes

  thus exposing these orifices to the atmosphere Explosive gases

  Zion trapped in chamber 34 are then evacuated to

  the atmosphere through the orifices 58, 58 forming a vent, em-

  fishing, therefore, the establishment of excessive pressure inside the gas chamber 34 It will now be clear that the mechanism 12 of gas control compensates

  automatically changes in gas pressure which

  are the differences between ammunition and other va-

  that could otherwise alter the characteristics of

  operation of the firearm It should be noted that the ex gases

  are not evacuated from chamber 34 directly to the

  mosphere through the orifices 58, 58 forming a vent only if the pressure

  sion produced in chamber 34 is sufficient to displace

  the plunger disc 46 to its evacuation position 46 b.

Claims (10)

  1 A gas-actuated firearm having an axially elongated barrel (16) comprising a core passing through it, means delimiting an annular gas chamber (34) of variable volume which surrounds an associated part of the barrel and comprising a guide member (42) mounted on the barrel (16) and a   first reaction member (30) which surrounds an associated part   of the barrel and is carried so as to be able to effect a limited axial movement between first and second positions relative to the barrel, and means (56) forming a gas orifice communicating with the core and with the gas chamber, the first reaction member being capable of being moved in a first axial direction from its first position to its second position in response to the gas pressure prevailing in the chamber, this firearm being characterized in that it comprises a second reaction member (46) worn   in a coaxial arrangement around the barrel (16) by the or-   guide rod (42) so as to be able to move axially relative to the barrel (16) and to the first reaction member G 20 (30), the first and second reaction members (30 and 46)   having facing reaction surfaces (38 and 47) which   limit corresponding parts of the chamber (34), means (52) for urging the second reaction member (46)   in the first axial direction towards the first or-   reaction gane (30) and to an inactive position and means forming a vent (58) capable of communicating with   the room and with the atmosphere to evacuate the explosion gases   sion out of the chamber (34), this vent (58) normally being out of communication with the chamber (34), the second reaction member (46) being able to move in opposition to the action   biasing means (52) in an axial direction op-   posed in the first axial direction from the inactive position to another position in response to pressure   of gas prevailing inside the gas chamber (34), the   cond reaction member (46) being able to move further in said opposite axial direction from this other position to a discharge position in response to the gas pressure prevailing in the chamber (34), the vent (58 )   not being in communication with the chamber (34) and with the att   mosphere only when the second reaction member (46) is in this evacuation position.   2 gas-actuated firearm according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second surfaces of   reaction (38 and 47) are formed by surfaces   extending approximately radially and arranged axially face to face.   3 gas-actuated firearm according to claim 1 wherein the first reaction member comprises a piston (30) having a bottom portion (36), which comprises the   first reaction surface (38), and a part of annular skirt   area (40) which extends from the bottom part and delimits   mites another part of the gas chamber (34), characterized in that the second reaction member comprises a plunger (46) carried, in said inactive position, inside the skirt part (40).   4 Firearm actuated by gases according to claim '1, characterized in that the guide member (42) comprises means (44) for guiding the first reaction member (30) and the second reaction member (46 ) so that they   can move axially relative to the barrel (16).   Gas-actuated firearm according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide member (42) has a plurality of rearwardly extending fingers (44, 44) carried   in a fixed position relative to the barrel (16).   6 firearm actuated by gases according to claim, characterized in that the second reaction member (46) has several openings (48, 48), each of the fingers   (44, 44) being received in a respective opening (48, 48) correspondingly.   7 firearm actuated by gases according to claim 6, characterized in that the second reaction member is constituted by a cylindrical member (46) and in that the   openings (44, 44) are formed by notches   edge radially outward in the peripheral surface risk of this cylindrical organ.   8 firearm actuated by gases according to claim, characterized in that the guide member is constituted by an annular collar (42).   9 Firearm actuated by gases according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (50) for limiting the axial movement of the second reaction member   (46) towards the first reaction member (30).   Gas operated firearm according to claim   9, characterized in that the means for limiting the displacement   ment of the second reaction organ are constituted by a   collar (50) disposed on the barrel (16).   11 Gas operated firearm according to one of the res   previous indications, characterized in that the vent (58)   is formed in the guide member (42).   12 Gas operated firearm according to one of the res   dications previous which comprises a receiver (37), a cu-   movable strap (18) carried by the receiver for sliding power   be between front and rear positions, the barrel (16)   protruding forward from the receiver, characterized   in that the first reaction member (30) is, in its first   first position, located approximately adjacent to Ilextre-   moth before the movable yoke (18)